Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Third wave concludes with 10 MMJ centers closing

Yesterday, a press release from the Colorado U.S. Attorney's office said that all 10 medical-marijuana centers that were notified in the most recent wave of closure letters have closed as requested.

"The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA will continue this initiative until all marijuana stores within 1,000 feet of a school are closed," reads the release. "A fourth wave of warning letters will be forthcoming as marijuana stores are identified within this 1,000 foot 'drug-free school zone.'

"The U.S. Attorney’s Office believes that a vast majority of marijuana stores operating within 1,000 feet of schools have now closed, even those that did not specifically receive a warning letter. If members of the public have information regarding a marijuana store they believe is within 1,000 feet of a school in their neighborhood or elsewhere they are encouraged to send an email to usaco.jwalsh@usdoj.gov."

We were never able to identify the Colorado Springs dispensary that office spokesman Jeff Dorschner said was one of the notified, though previous centers affected by the action include Indispensary and Westside Wellness Center. The term "closed" is also not exactly accurate, as Altitude Organic Medicine moved off the west side to a downtown location when it received its own letter in the second round.